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Florida Cases Slow, Cali Fixes Underreporting Issues, COVID-19 No Longer Spreading In NJ: Live Updates

Florida Cases Slow, Cali Fixes Underreporting Issues, COVID-19 No Longer Spreading In NJ: Live Updates

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Florida Cases Slow, Cali Fixes Underreporting Issues, COVID-19 No Longer Spreading In NJ: Live Updates Tyler Durden Mon, 08/10/2020 - 14:30

Summary:

  • California reports 7,751 new cases, says it has fixed reporting issues
  • NJ transmission rate shows virus no longer spreading in state
  • Arizona COVID outbreak continues to slow; ICU rates decline again
  • NY reports just 2 COVID deaths as positivity rate lingers near record low
  • Florida cases continue to decline
  • World on the cusp of 20 million confirmed COVID cases
  • WHO praises Paris mask order
  • Paris mandatory outdoor mask rules take effect
  • WHO warns "majority of world still susceptible" to COVID
  • Germany warns of "alarming" rise in new cases
  • Former Indian president tests positive
  • Situation in Pakistan improves as lockdowns ease
  • Lebanon suffers worst jump in infections yet

* * *

Update (1420ET): California reported 7,751 new cases on Monday, slightly above yesterday's total, though officials said that some of the cases might belong to prior days, as the state has only just finally fixed its lab reporting issues supposedly caused the state to undercount cases for weeks.

  • CALIFORNIA DATA MAY INCLUDE CASES FROM PRIOR DAYS
  • CALIFORNIA SAYS LAB REPORTING ISSUES HAVE BEEN CORRECTED
  • CALIFORNIA SEES 7,751 NEW VIRUS CASES VS 7,240-DAY AVE
  • CALIFORNIA 14-DAY POSITIVITY RATE DROPS TO 6.0% FROM 6.1%

* * *

Update (1325ET): NJ has just celebrated a promising milestone: Its statewide transmission rate has hit a promising new low, suggesting that the virus is no longer circulating in the state...

...for the first time since July 25.

That's good news, after a handful of distressingly high readings on the transmission rate sparked fears of a northeastern 2nd wave.

* * *

Update (1150ET): Arizona reported just 600 new cases on Monday, along with just 4 new deaths, as the outbreak in the state continues to slow, spurred by Gov. Doug Ducey's quick reaction time on reimposing restrictions on bars and restaurants, along with other measures, when the numbers started to climb.

Meanwhile, ICU bed availability continues to increase as the number of occupied beds falls.

Here's a summary of Arizona hospital assets from Monday.

* * *

Update (1135ET): NY Gov Andrew Cuomo on Monday revealed that the state's positivity rate remains just above its record lows set last week, while deaths have declined to just 2 New Yorkers.

Those are some good numbers, and will undoubtedly help strengthen the governor's case for most of the state to return to "hybrid" learning when schools reopen later this month.

* * *

Update (1110ET): South Dakota Gov. Kirsti Noem, who recently was accused by the NYT of angling for VP Pence's job, just tweeted her critics a dose of perspective.

Are you saying the government has an obligation to defend personal liberty even during periods of excessive fear? But...but...but

* * *

Update (1040ET): Florida reports 91 new COVID-19 deaths for Monday, which was slightly higher than the total from the prior day, while Florida cases increased by 4,155 to 536,961 as a slowdown in newly confirmed cases continued.

Almost as notable: the statewide positivity rate declined to 8.6%, the rate for all tests declined to 12.3%.

Meanwhile, the Orlando Sun-Sentinel, a local paper that has, in our view, done a fantastic job covering local COVID-19-related issues, reported that boaters and partiers at Lake Boca are starting to get on the nerves of state public-health officials.

The party continues on Lake Boca despite the COVID-19 crisis, and a lack of enforcement by police and state authorities means boaters could be spreading the coronavirus as they soak in the sun.

Dozens of boaters anchor at the popular site on weekends, some tying their boats together in a practice known as “rafting."

Government orders on social distancing prohibit rafting, but no one agency — the city police, the county sheriff or the state wildlife commission - is responsible for policing the boaters’ behavior. And all three say they rely on warnings rather than citations to encourage correct behavior.

Some local officials say it’s time for things to change.

Boca Raton City Council Member Andy Thomson said he has heard complaints about rafting on many waterways, including Lake Boca, as people get increasingly eager to return to normalcy.

"As time has gone on in the midst of the pandemic, more and more people are wanting to go out on the boats," Thomson said. "They can still go out on their boats; they can go wherever they want. They just can’t be rafting."

Others feel the same. Some took to social media expressing concern with the crowds they’ve seen over the past few weeks.

On July 19, a user posted Facebook photos of dozens of boats gathered with the caption “This is NOT social distancing on lake boca!!!”

Maybe everybody who has a problem with the way they social distance in 'Boca can go 'social distance' somewhere else.

Either that, or stop complaining.

* * *

As global confirmed COVID-19 cases near 20 million (with potentially millions more that were never catalogued), an uptick in new cases has inspired Paris officials to impose dramatic new restrictions involving mandatory mask wearing. Masks must now be worn in public, even outdoors.

The order was announced over the weekend. it applies to people aged 11 and over, and covers busy outdoor areas in the French capital and more than 100 streets, although tourist sites such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysees boulevard are not included, as French politicians continue to extend concessions to the badly battered tourism industry.

As the BBC points out, the Paris mask rule is part of a trend of localized restrictions sweeping Europe.

The new mask rule in Paris is part of a pattern that is spreading across the country - indeed across Europe - as governments try to stamp down the new virus embers.

It has been obvious for weeks that in some much-frequented parts of the capital, keeping the one-metre (3.2ft) rule is a challenge.

On the Seine quays for example, walkers, joggers and cyclists brush past revellers at the many riverside bars.

Masks are already obligatory in France in all enclosed public spaces - including inside tourist attractions like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.

And across the country, well over 1,000 towns and cities have prescribed face coverings in certain streets and neighbourhoods.

The main target of the rules are young people who gather to enjoy the holiday and the sunshine.

All the evidence shows that they are the group among whom infection is growing fastest.

They may be at a lower risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus than older people. It is their role as vectors that is a cause for concern.

A top US health official has praised Taiwan’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, hailing it as “among the most successful in the world”, during a rare diplomatic visit to the island.

Elsewhere in Europe, Germany's economy minister warned of an "alarming" rise in infections. "We need to flatten the curve and turn this around," Peter Altmaier told German press as schoolchildren in Berlin return to classrooms for the first time in months. Germany has also seen its single-day case count top 1,000 for the first time in weeks.

With the world on the cusp of reporting 20 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus, the WHO delivered a stark warning during a Monday morning press briefing from Geneva: the majority of the world's population remains susceptible to infection.

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, famously the agency's technical lead on COVID-19 research who once caused an uproar by declaring asymptomatic transmission a "rare" event, and seemingly undercutting the case for compulsory mask-wearing, told reporters on Monday that there was "no indication that there is seasonality with this virus" and urged people to do everything they could, including physical distancing, wearing a mask where appropriate and avoiding crowded settings, to prevent the spread of infection.

Earlier, the WHO's Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the UK's decision to take "targeted action" by imposing 'partial lockdowns' in parts of Leicester and parts of northern England.

Dr. Tedros told the briefing: "Strong and precise measures like these, in combination with utilizing every tool at our disposal, are key to preventing any resurgence in COVID-19 and allowing societies to be reopened safely."

After crossing the 2 million mark last week, infections in India have slowed slightly as antibody surveillance testing suggests that some of the worst-hit slums in Mumbai and New Delhi have achieved roughly 50% infection rates, not far from levels where 'herd immunity' might come into play.

What's more, on Monday, Pranab Mukherjee, India's president from 2012-2017, has just announced that he has tested positive for the virus.

But the world's second-most-populous country hasn't had nearly as much success as its neighbor, Pakistan, where the outbreak has continued to wane as the country's 'partial lockdowns' have been slowly unwound.

Here's more on that from the BBC:

With restaurants, cinemas and tourist spots reopening (albeit with some restrictions in place) life in Pakistan is returning to "normal".

Partial lockdowns have been in place since March, but have been progressively eased.

With just over 6,000 coronavirus deaths in a population of about 230 million, despite the country’s weak healthcare system, Pakistan appears to have fared far better than many in the West.

Finally, as anti-government protesters return to the streets, clashing with security forces, Lebanon reported its highest daily increase in coronavirus infections yet on Monday, compounding the country’s problems after a devastating explosion tore through Beirut last week.

Another 294 cases were recorded on Sunday, bringing the country’s total number of infections to 6,517, per health ministry data.

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Problems After COVID-19 Vaccination More Prevalent Among Naturally Immune: Study

Problems After COVID-19 Vaccination More Prevalent Among Naturally Immune: Study

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis…

Published

1 hour ago

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March 15, 2024

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Problems After COVID-19 Vaccination More Prevalent Among Naturally Immune: Study

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

People who recovered from COVID-19 and received a COVID-19 shot were more likely to suffer adverse reactions, researchers in Europe are reporting.

A medical worker administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at a vaccination center in Ancenis-Saint-Gereon, France, on Nov. 17, 2021. (Stephane Mahe//Reuters)

Participants in the study were more likely to experience an adverse reaction after vaccination regardless of the type of shot, with one exception, the researchers found.

Across all vaccine brands, people with prior COVID-19 were 2.6 times as likely after dose one to suffer an adverse reaction, according to the new study. Such people are commonly known as having a type of protection known as natural immunity after recovery.

People with previous COVID-19 were also 1.25 times as likely after dose 2 to experience an adverse reaction.

The findings held true across all vaccine types following dose one.

Of the female participants who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, for instance, 82 percent who had COVID-19 previously experienced an adverse reaction after their first dose, compared to 59 percent of females who did not have prior COVID-19.

The only exception to the trend was among males who received a second AstraZeneca dose. The percentage of males who suffered an adverse reaction was higher, 33 percent to 24 percent, among those without a COVID-19 history.

“Participants who had a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (confirmed with a positive test) experienced at least one adverse reaction more often after the 1st dose compared to participants who did not have prior COVID-19. This pattern was observed in both men and women and across vaccine brands,” Florence van Hunsel, an epidemiologist with the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, and her co-authors wrote.

There were only slightly higher odds of the naturally immune suffering an adverse reaction following receipt of a Pfizer or Moderna booster, the researchers also found.

The researchers performed what’s known as a cohort event monitoring study, following 29,387 participants as they received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The participants live in a European country such as Belgium, France, or Slovakia.

Overall, three-quarters of the participants reported at least one adverse reaction, although some were minor such as injection site pain.

Adverse reactions described as serious were reported by 0.24 percent of people who received a first or second dose and 0.26 percent for people who received a booster. Different examples of serious reactions were not listed in the study.

Participants were only specifically asked to record a range of minor adverse reactions (ADRs). They could provide details of other reactions in free text form.

“The unsolicited events were manually assessed and coded, and the seriousness was classified based on international criteria,” researchers said.

The free text answers were not provided by researchers in the paper.

“The authors note, ‘In this manuscript, the focus was not on serious ADRs and adverse events of special interest.’” Yet, in their highlights section they state, “The percentage of serious ADRs in the study is low for 1st and 2nd vaccination and booster.”

Dr. Joel Wallskog, co-chair of the group React19, which advocates for people who were injured by vaccines, told The Epoch Times: “It is intellectually dishonest to set out to study minor adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination then make conclusions about the frequency of serious adverse events. They also fail to provide the free text data.” He added that the paper showed “yet another study that is in my opinion, deficient by design.”

Ms. Hunsel did not respond to a request for comment.

She and other researchers listed limitations in the paper, including how they did not provide data broken down by country.

The paper was published by the journal Vaccine on March 6.

The study was funded by the European Medicines Agency and the Dutch government.

No authors declared conflicts of interest.

Some previous papers have also found that people with prior COVID-19 infection had more adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination, including a 2021 paper from French researchers. A U.S. study identified prior COVID-19 as a predictor of the severity of side effects.

Some other studies have determined COVID-19 vaccines confer little or no benefit to people with a history of infection, including those who had received a primary series.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends people who recovered from COVID-19 receive a COVID-19 vaccine, although a number of other health authorities have stopped recommending the shot for people who have prior COVID-19.

Another New Study

In another new paper, South Korean researchers outlined how they found people were more likely to report certain adverse reactions after COVID-19 vaccination than after receipt of another vaccine.

The reporting of myocarditis, a form of heart inflammation, or pericarditis, a related condition, was nearly 20 times as high among children as the reporting odds following receipt of all other vaccines, the researchers found.

The reporting odds were also much higher for multisystem inflammatory syndrome or Kawasaki disease among adolescent COVID-19 recipients.

Researchers analyzed reports made to VigiBase, which is run by the World Health Organization.

“Based on our results, close monitoring for these rare but serious inflammatory reactions after COVID-19 vaccination among adolescents until definitive causal relationship can be established,” the researchers wrote.

The study was published by the Journal of Korean Medical Science in its March edition.

Limitations include VigiBase receiving reports of problems, with some reports going unconfirmed.

Funding came from the South Korean government. One author reported receiving grants from pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer.

Tyler Durden Fri, 03/15/2024 - 05:00

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Key shipping company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The Illinois-based general freight trucking company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize.

Published

9 hours ago

on

March 14, 2024

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The U.S. trucking industry has had a difficult beginning of the year for 2024 with several logistics companies filing for bankruptcy to seek either a Chapter 7 liquidation or Chapter 11 reorganization.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused a lot of supply chain issues for logistics companies and also created a shortage of truck drivers as many left the business for other occupations. Shipping companies, in the meantime, have had extreme difficulty recruiting new drivers for thousands of unfilled jobs.

Related: Tesla rival’s filing reveals Chapter 11 bankruptcy is possible

Freight forwarder company Boateng Logistics joined a growing list of shipping companies that permanently shuttered their businesses as the firm on Feb. 22 filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy with plans to liquidate.

The Carlsbad, Calif., logistics company filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California listing assets up to $50,000 and and $1 million to $10 million in liabilities. Court papers said it owed millions of dollars in liabilities to trucking, logistics and factoring companies. The company filed bankruptcy before any creditors could take legal action.

Lawsuits force companies to liquidate in bankruptcy

Lawsuits, however, can force companies to file bankruptcy, which was the case for J.J. & Sons Logistics of Clint, Texas, which on Jan. 22 filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas. The company filed bankruptcy four days before the scheduled start of a trial for a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a former company truck driver who had died from drowning in 2016.

California-based logistics company Wise Choice Trans Corp. shut down operations and filed for Chapter 7 liquidation on Jan. 4 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, listing $1 million to $10 million in assets and liabilities.

The Hayward, Calif., third-party logistics company, founded in 2009, provided final mile, less-than-truckload and full truckload services, as well as warehouse and fulfillment services in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Chapter 7 filing also implemented an automatic stay against all legal proceedings, as the company listed its involvement in four legal actions that were ongoing or concluded. Court papers reportedly did not list amounts for damages.

In some cases, debtors don't have to take a drastic action, such as a liquidation, and can instead file a Chapter 11 reorganization.

Truck shipping products.

Shutterstock

Nationwide Cargo seeks to reorganize its business

Nationwide Cargo Inc., a general freight trucking company that also hauls fresh produce and meat, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois with plans to reorganize its business.

The East Dundee, Ill., shipping company listed $1 million to $10 million in assets and $10 million to $50 million in liabilities in its petition and said funds will not be available to pay unsecured creditors. The company operates with 183 trucks and 171 drivers, FreightWaves reported.

Nationwide Cargo's three largest secured creditors in the petition were Equify Financial LLC (owed about $3.5 million,) Commercial Credit Group (owed about $1.8 million) and Continental Bank NA (owed about $676,000.)

The shipping company reported gross revenue of about $34 million in 2022 and about $40 million in 2023.  From Jan. 1 until its petition date, the company generated $9.3 million in gross revenue.

Related: Veteran fund manager picks favorite stocks for 2024

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Uncategorized

Key shipping company files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The Illinois-based general freight trucking company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize.

Published

9 hours ago

on

March 14, 2024

By

The U.S. trucking industry has had a difficult beginning of the year for 2024 with several logistics companies filing for bankruptcy to seek either a Chapter 7 liquidation or Chapter 11 reorganization.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused a lot of supply chain issues for logistics companies and also created a shortage of truck drivers as many left the business for other occupations. Shipping companies, in the meantime, have had extreme difficulty recruiting new drivers for thousands of unfilled jobs.

Related: Tesla rival’s filing reveals Chapter 11 bankruptcy is possible

Freight forwarder company Boateng Logistics joined a growing list of shipping companies that permanently shuttered their businesses as the firm on Feb. 22 filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy with plans to liquidate.

The Carlsbad, Calif., logistics company filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California listing assets up to $50,000 and and $1 million to $10 million in liabilities. Court papers said it owed millions of dollars in liabilities to trucking, logistics and factoring companies. The company filed bankruptcy before any creditors could take legal action.

Lawsuits force companies to liquidate in bankruptcy

Lawsuits, however, can force companies to file bankruptcy, which was the case for J.J. & Sons Logistics of Clint, Texas, which on Jan. 22 filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas. The company filed bankruptcy four days before the scheduled start of a trial for a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a former company truck driver who had died from drowning in 2016.

California-based logistics company Wise Choice Trans Corp. shut down operations and filed for Chapter 7 liquidation on Jan. 4 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, listing $1 million to $10 million in assets and liabilities.

The Hayward, Calif., third-party logistics company, founded in 2009, provided final mile, less-than-truckload and full truckload services, as well as warehouse and fulfillment services in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Chapter 7 filing also implemented an automatic stay against all legal proceedings, as the company listed its involvement in four legal actions that were ongoing or concluded. Court papers reportedly did not list amounts for damages.

In some cases, debtors don't have to take a drastic action, such as a liquidation, and can instead file a Chapter 11 reorganization.

Truck shipping products.

Shutterstock

Nationwide Cargo seeks to reorganize its business

Nationwide Cargo Inc., a general freight trucking company that also hauls fresh produce and meat, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois with plans to reorganize its business.

The East Dundee, Ill., shipping company listed $1 million to $10 million in assets and $10 million to $50 million in liabilities in its petition and said funds will not be available to pay unsecured creditors. The company operates with 183 trucks and 171 drivers, FreightWaves reported.

Nationwide Cargo's three largest secured creditors in the petition were Equify Financial LLC (owed about $3.5 million,) Commercial Credit Group (owed about $1.8 million) and Continental Bank NA (owed about $676,000.)

The shipping company reported gross revenue of about $34 million in 2022 and about $40 million in 2023.  From Jan. 1 until its petition date, the company generated $9.3 million in gross revenue.

Related: Veteran fund manager picks favorite stocks for 2024

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